Oiling device



, May 26, 1931.

J. s. LONDON ET AL 1,307,484

OILING'DEVICE Original Fi-led May 7, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y y ,Zhvantar-s CharlgB-Z'E-Carlg JZfl/VJ Lon 00m ATTORNEY.

y 6, 1931. J. 5. LONDON ET AL 7, 8

OILING DEVICE Original Filed May '7, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORN EY.

Patented May 26, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE JOHN s.Lonno'1 I, oE PHILADELPHIA, Am) cHAELEs B. MoCARTY, 0F MATAMOBAS, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIeNons or 0NE-THIRD TO DAVID w. FISHER, or HoHNELL,

NEW YORK OILING DEVICE Application filed May 7, 1928, Serial No. 275,889. Renewed February 10, 1931.

This invention relates to improvements in oiling devices and has particular reference to an automatic rotary oiler for air compressors used on locomotives.

. The primary object of the invention resides in an oiling device for intermittently supplying predetermined quantities of oil to parts to be lubricated, and although we have stated above that the device is intended for use on locomotive air compressors, the same may be utilized for oiling other machinery if desired.-

' Another objectof the invention is to provide a rotary oiler' which includes an oil reservoir containing a supply of oil under pressure, which is lead to oil discharge orifices in predetermined quantities and at timed intervals, the discharge of oil being controlled by a rotary valve whereby such amount of oil is discharged as may be required to maintain parts efiiciently lubricated, thus effecting a saving of oil without neglecting the parts to be supplied therewith.

Another object is to provide an automatic rotary oiler with a rotary distributing valve having cavities therein which are movable into registration with an oil feed groove whereupon oil under pressure is picked up by the cavities and deposited in respective oil discharge ducts with which the cavities register during rotation of the distributing valve. 7

With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in certain novel construction and combination and arrangement of parts, the essential features of which are hereinafter fully described, are particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of our improved rotary oiler.

1 Figure 2 is an end elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a verticaltransverse sectional view on the line 3.3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a similar view on the line 55 of Figure 3.

Figures 6 and 7 are similar views on lines pended within the reservoir.

66 and 77 respectively of Figure 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 8 is an enlarged detail sectional view through the ball check valve.

Figure 9 is a collective perspective view of the rotary distributing valve and its operat- 111%]?31138. I

- eferring to the drawings by reference characters, the numeral 10 designates our rotary oiler in its entirety which includes a supporting bracket 11 on which a cylindrical body 12 is mounted. The lower end of the body is provided with a base 13 which is bolted to the bracket by means of bolts or the like 1 1. The cylindrical body is provided withan oil reservoir or compartment 15 in the upper end thereof which is closed by a screw cap 16 which may be removed to facilitate the filling of the compartment with lubricating oil. The lower end of the cylindrical body is provided with a recess 17 closed by a screw plug 18 and which serves as a bearing for a ratchet wheel 19 mounted within the recess. The ratchet wheel 19 is provided with a stub shaft 20 having a kerf 21 therein and which extends upward into a bore 22 opening into the reservoir for receiving the lug 23 provided on the free end of a stem 24 of therotary distributing valve 25. The bottom wall of the reservoir constitutes a valve seat 26 over which the underside of the valve disk 27 of the rotary valve is movable. The valve disk is disposed in sealing engagement with the seat but loosely ts within the side walls of the reservoir to allow the oil therein to flow to an oil supply groove 28 provided in the bottom wall of the reservoir. The valve disk is held seated by a screw 29 bearing axially thereon and which screw is threaded in a spider 3O fixedly sus The spider carries a screen 81 by which the oil is strained ofany foreign matter before coming in contact with the valve disk, seat, and oil feed openings. A jamb nut 32 is threaded onthe screw, by the turning of which, the screw may betightened down upon the valve disk or the pressure thereon relieved. The screw is adjusted to a position whereby the valve disk is free to rotate but leakage is prevented between the disk and its seat.

Formed integral with the cylindrical body 12 and extending horizontally therefrom is a cylinder 333 closed at one end by ascrew cap 34, while slidably mounted within the cylinder is a piston 35 having its piston rod 36 extending into the recess 17 on a plane even with a segmental shape actuator 37 freely turnable on the stub shaft 20 of the ratchet wheel 19. The actuator has an extending lu 38 which enters a notch 39 in the piston rod whereby a turning movement may be imparted to the actuator upon reciprocation of said piston for a purpose to be presently explained. Pivotally mounted on the underside of the actuator is a dog or pawl 40, held in engagement with the ratchet wheel by a spring 41 whereby movement from the actuator to the ratchet wheel and valve may be imparted upon the inward stroke of the piston only. The piston is normally held in an outward position shown in Figure 4 of the drawings by an expansion spring 42 which encircles the piston rod and is interposed between the piston head and the inner end wall of the cylinder. A set screw 43 is threaded in the end of the piston head for engagement with the screw cap 34 for limiting outward movement of the piston to prevent the same from covering the air entrance duct 44 which enters the cylinder through the side wall thereof.

Opening onto the seat 26 at different radial planes are oil feed ducts 45 and 46 which lead to the parts adapted to be lubricated with oil from the oil reservoir, while a third steam duct 47 leading from the steam end of the pump (not shown) also opens onto the valve seat. This steam duct is only used in air compressors for locomotives and may constitute no more than another oil feed duct. Registrable with the ducts 45, 46 and 47 during rotation of the valve disk, are cavities 48, 49 and 50 respectively provided in the underside of the V21l"6 disk 27 and which pass over the oil supply groove 28 to pick up a supply of oil for depositing in the respective ducts.

The oil within the reservoir 15 is maintained under a pressure of air which is supplied thereto by any suitable source of compressed air supply, such as by compressed air storage tanks or air compressors. The compressed air enters the top of the reservoir through an air feed duct 51 from which the duct 44 to the cylinder 33 branches. A ball check valve 52 is arranged in the air feed line for checking the back flow of air therethrough as the air fed to the reservoir and piston is intermittent or in puffs to facilitate the reciprocation of the actuating piston 35. By maintaining an air pressure within the reservoir, the oil is ,placed under pressure and forced into the pick-up cavities in the valve as they pass the supply groove 28, and which cavities retain the oil until they successively register with the oil feed ducts, whereupon the pressure is broken and the oil drops by gravity into the respective ducts for passage either by gravity or forced feed to the parts to be lubricated.

In operation, a reciprocating motion is imparted to the piston 35 by the intermittent admission of air into the cylinder 33 against the action of the spring 42, and which imparts an intermittent rotary movement in one direction to the rotary valve 25, through the actuator and ratchet mechanism. The cavities in the valve disk register with the oil supply groove 28, pick up a predetermined amount of oil and as the valve disk slowly rotates, deposits the oil in the respective feed ducts. By this arrangement, predetermined quantities of oil may be fed to the parts to be lubricated at regular timed intervals, which will supply the proper amount of oil necessary to maintain the parts in perfect Working order, thus preventing an excessive and unnecessary amount of oil from reaching the parts, and assuring a saving of oil.

lVhile the device is particularly applicable for use on air compressors for locomotives, we do not restrict our use of the invention thereto, as it can be used for other machinery which requires constant lubrication. Also, if desired, the device may be constructed to distribute diiierent grades of oil simultaneous ly by providing separate containers for the diii'erent oils, and by slightly modifying the arrangement of parts, although the same principle as hereinbefo're mentioned is strictly adhered to.

lVbat is claimed as new is 1. In a rotary oiler having an oil reservoir, a valve seat at the bottom thereof, oil receiving ducts opening onto said valve seat, a rotary valve member sealing said ducts from the oil within said oil reservoir, an oil supply groove provided in said seat in communication with the oil in said reservoir, and oil pick-up cavities provided in said rotary valve member for successively registering with said oil supply groove for receiving a charge of oil therefrom and with the respective oil discharge ducts for depositing the same the-rein upon each revolution of said rotary valve member, means for maintaining a head of compressed air within said oil reservoir to place the oil therein under pressure, and means for imparting intermittent turning movement to said rotary valve member in one direction, said means including a ratchet mechanism associated with said rotary valve member, and a reciprocable piston operatively connected with said ratchet mechanism.

2. A rotary oiler comprising a body having an oil reservoir therein, the bottom wall oi said reservoir constituting a valve seat, oil discharge ducts opening onto said valve seat and leading to the parts to be lubricated, a valve member rotatably mounted in said body and disposed in sealing engagement with said valve seat, an oil supply groove provided in said valve seat in communication with the oil reservoir, means for supplying and maintaining air under pressure within said oil reservoir to subject the oil therein to the force thereof, oil receiving cavities provided in said valve member movable into registration with said oil supply groove and with the respective oil discharge ducts, a cylinder, a piston reciprocable in said cylinder, spring means acting against said piston to move the same in one direction, pressure means for admission into said cylinder to move said piston in an opposite direction against the action of said spring means, and means operable by said piston for imparting intermittent rotary movement to said valve member, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. A rotary oiler comprising a body having an oil reservoir therein, the bottom wall of said reservoir constituting a valve seat, oil discharge ducts opening onto said valve seat and leading to the parts to be lubricated, a valve member rotatably mounted in said body and disposed in sealing engagement with said valve seat, an oil supply groove provided in said valve seat in communication with the oil reservoir, means for supplying and maintaining air under pressure within said oil reservoir to subject the oil therein to the force thereof, oil receiving cavities provided in said valve member movable into registration with said oil supply groove and with the respective oil discharge ducts, a cyl inder, a piston reciprocable in said cylinder, spring means acting against said piston to move the same in one direction, pressure means for admission into said cylinder to move said piston in an opposite direction against the action of said spring means, and means operable by said piston for imparting intermittent rotary movement to said valve member, said last means including an actuator member connected withsaid piston, a ratchet wheel on said valve member, and a spring pressed pawl carried by said actuator member and engaging said ratchet wheel.

4. A rotary oiler comprising a body having an oil reservoir therein, a removable cap closing the top of said body, the bottom wall of said reservoir constituting a valve seat, oil discharge ducts leading to the parts to be lubricated and opening onto said valve seat, a valve member rotatably mounted in said body and in sealing engagement With said valve seat, an oil supply groove provided in said valve seat in open communication with the oil reservoir, an oil strainer mounted within said oil reservoir for straining oil therein prior to its passage to said oil supply groove, oil receiving cavities provided in said signatures.

JOHN S. LONDON. I CHARLES B. MOCARTY. 

